Composite linkage



Jan. 20, 1953 J. E. DILLARD 2,625,833

COMPOSITE LINKAGE Original Filed Jan. 14, 1950 g? 6.1/ 45 m 39 ,1 i

' fwa/me' 2L l 3nventor J/mfis E. 0/44090 tornegs Patented Jan. 20, 1953 UNITED "STAT-ES ENT O' F-F lC-E COMPOSITE James E." Dillard, Memphia'TTenn.

Original application-January 14, 1950, SeriaI No.

1951, Serial--No. 219;852

This invention: relatestto certain new and useftulimprovements in linkage means and,. particularly relates to a composite linkage of a, .type which is. adapted tolbe used inthe coupling of a governor, for 'eXample-lfor an internal combustion engine, to aathrottle valveassociated with such engine, and particularly relates -fur-therto a=com-posite linkage-which includes an overload member. adapted to. impart. governor movement to a throttle valve and to absorb governor movement'when the throttle valve is immobilized.

This application isa division of my co-pending-application Serial .No. 138,627., filed Janu ary 14, 1950.

'The principal .object .of the invention is .to provide a new and improved. combination linkage for use in coupling moving; members.

-A furthero'bject of the. invention is to.provide a combination of new and novel linkage particularly adapted for use. in the coupling of agovernor for an, internal combustion engine to .a throttle valve.

A further object of the invention is to. provide a composite linkageincluding an overload member normally adaptedto impart governor movement to a throttle valve and toyield'and absorb governor movement when the throttle valve is immobilized.

And a furtherobject of .the invention is to generally improve linkage means, for effecting couplings.

The I means 1 by which the foregoing and other objects of the invention areaccomplished and themanner of their accomplishment willv readily be understood from .the..fol1owing specification uponwreference to .the accompanying drawings,

, inwhich:

Fig. 1 is a-side-elevational view ofaoonventional .internal combustion engine, including a governor, with the. preferred form of composite linkagerapp ied. in the coupling between a. governor. arm. and athrottle. valve.

TFig. 2.is a topplan view onan enlarged scale illustrating details of an overload member employed in the invention; and

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 illustrating the overload member under overload.

Referring now to the drawings in which the various "parts are illustrated by "numerals, the present invention is illustrated as mounted on an engine 2| of 'theconvent-ional typeemployed in automobiles or other motor vehicles. Conventionalvehicle portions and related instrumentalitiesare-shown in Fig. 1, although not specifically referred toherein.

As is customary, the engined I. visprovidedwith an intakemanifold 21 to whichis connectedan induction pipe which may consist of sections 35, 39, through which fuel for the engine flow, with a butterfly or gate valve adapted for control of Dividedrand this application April-.7,

fuel now being mounted. in. "the induction pipe. asin-the section 39. OperationofI thegate valve is accomplished by an .arm 43,1which,'.in1the .arrangement heredepicted;is coupled by a um-4'5 to one leg d'lof thebell crank mountedlonlthe upperwsurface .of engine 12.! the. opposite. leg -48 of the bell crank .being shown as .oouple'd by a link .49- tov an arm '5 l. vmountedonthe engine block. Theopposite end of shaft 53 is coupledbyacomposite linkage to the upstandingend ofagovernor arm .59, .operationcof the arm being effected by a governor, not shown,-whichjmaybe of a. conventional typeresponslve to engine. speedancl effecting movement of the governor -arm Impresponse to changes-in. enginespeed.

Preferably the -composite linkagevconsistsflof an elongated rod 6| coupledat'its.rearwardencl,

to shaft 53, preferably throughanarm, not shown. similar to the arm .51 and extending forwardly fromthe coupling-and being coupledby. an overload unit 6-3 to .a vforward elongated rod 65, the forward end of rod .65= being-pivoted; to the upper end of governorarm 59. The rods .6.l,165.are. overlapped throughout asubstantial portionof their lengths, substantially allof.the, rod. 65. lying alongside the forward portionof rod- 6 l.

Overload unit 63 preferablyconsistsofa substantially I-shapedmemberhaving forward .and rearward flanges63A, B3B and a longitudinally extending central :member 133C to which 'theflanges are rigidly attached, preferably has by welding. Intermediate the flanges a plate -member 63D is slidably mounted on. central member 63C=and spring means, preferablyinthe form of compression springsfi3E, are. interposed between forwardflange:GBA-and intermediate-platememe ber 63D, the springs. being .adapted-tolurge:rela tive. separatin movement between I the .for-ward flange. and the intermediate ,p1ate. member.

Flanges; 63A, 4533 and plate member v 63D rare apertured toslidably receive rods 6 I inparallel spacedrelation and'therodsare provided with stop -members .such as co,tter.pins.:63F which are positionedto-abutthe forwardiace of-.rearward flange '63B upon rear-ward movement of the. rodsv and to thereby limit such rearward movement relative to the rearward flange- 633. The rods are also provided with similar intermediate step members, such as -the .cotter pins 630} positioned to abut the rearward face of plate member 63D and .thereby .lim it. relative movementbetween the plate member-and the rods. Preferably spring .members 63E1surround'the respective rods 6l,.165 and urgaintermediate plate member. 63D into contact with .intermediate .-stop:- members 63G.

Governor arm 59 -is adaptedto be oscillated unders'actionlof the, governorvandnpon; rearward. movement of the upper end of arm 59 from the position as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, rearward thrust is imparted to rod 65, transferred by stop members 63F to. rear flange 633; through central longitudinal portion 63C to forward flange 63A and thence through springs 63E to rearwardly move the intermediate plate 63D, which, being engaged with intermediate stops 63G, effects rearward movement of rod 6|, the motion of arm 59 being thus transferred to rod 6| and effecting operative movement through the linkageof the gate valve housed in the induction pipe.

Upon forward movement of the upper end-of arm 59 rod 65 is also moved forwardly and through its intermediate stop 63G effects forward movement of intermediate plate 63D, which, through springs 63E, transfers this movement to the I-shaped member and through the engagement of rear flange 633 with the stop member 63F of rod 61 effects forward movement of that rod and consequent opposite operating movement of the gate valve to which the rod is coupled.

The present invention is shown as employed in an arrangement in which the gate valve member may be selectively immobilized. In the present embodiment, a pair of vacuum cylinders 91, 99 are mounted vertically and in opposition with their rods coupled, and are supported in suitable fashion. An oscillatable member H is coupled to the joined rods and is adapted to be moved into engagement with valve arm 43, such engagement moving the valve arm downwardly and immobilizing the valve arm and its attached valve by such engagement. Suitable operating means are provided for this immobilizing means.

With the valve arm immobilized it is desirable to compensate for governor arm shift without disturbing the immobilized arm, and the overload member of the present invention is particularly adapted for this purpose. The action is best illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3 in which the operation of the overload member under a condition of immobilization of valve arm 43 is shown. Thus upon rearward movement of the end of arm 59 from the position shown in Fig. 2 to the position shown in Fig. 3, the thrust imparted to rod 65 has, through its rear stop 63F, effected rearward movement of the I-shaped member 63. Such rearward movement has, as illustrated in Fig. 3, been absorbed by compression of springs 63E so that no rearward movement of rod GI has been effected against the immobilization of the coupling between rod BI and immobilized valve arm 43. In this manner the overload unit is enabled to absorb the thrust of shift of the governor arm and springs 63E are constantly urging return of the coupling to its normal position illustrated in Fig. 2. Thus upon forward movement of the upper end of governor arm 59 from the position shown in Fig. 3, releasing pressure on rear flange 633 by moving stop 63F forwardly away from the flange, the action of springs 63E will be effective to return the device to the position shown in Fig. 2.

I claim:

1 Linkage means, for opera-bly coupling an engine throttle valve and valve operating means, which includes a rod having one end connected to said operating means and having its opposite end extendin away from said operating mea. a second rod having one end coupled to said valve and having its opposite end extending toward said operating means, said opposite rod ends being disposed in lapped relation, a substantially I-shaped member consisting of a pair of flanges 4 spaced apart longitudinally of said rods, and a longitudinal member rigidly fixed to said flanges maintaining said flanges'in spaced relation, said flanges lying transverse said rods and being apertured to slidably receive said lapped rod ends, said lapped rod ends being disposed in said apertures, a plate slidably mounted on said longitudinal member and said rod ends intermediate said flanges, spring means disposed between said plate and the said flange proximate said operating means urging said plate toward the said flange remote from said operating means, stop means carried by said lapped rod ends intermediate said flanges, positioned for engagement by said plate during spring urged plate movement toward said remote flange to limit said movement, and stop means carried by said lapped rod ends adjacent said remote flange positioned to engage said remote flange during rod movement away from said operating means to limit said rod movement, whereby to yieldingly couple said lapped rod ends.

2. Linkage means, for operably coupling an engine throttle valve and valve operating means, which includes a rod having its forward end connected to said operating means and extending rearwardly away from said operating means, a second rod having its rear end coupled to said valve and extending forwardly toward said operating means, the rearward end portion of the first said rod overlapping the forward end portion of said second rod, said end portions being substantially parallel and transversely spaced apart, a substantially I-shaped member consisting of a forward flange and a rearward flange spaced apart longitudinally of said rods and a longitudinal member extending between said rod ends, said longitudinal member being rigidly fixed to and spanning between said flanges and maintaining said flanges in spaced relation, said flanges lying transverse said rods and being apertured to slidably receive said end portions, said lapped end portions being disposed in said apertures, a plate slidably mounted on said longitudinal member and rod ends intermediate said flanges, compression spring means surrounding said end portions intermediate said plate and said forward flange, said spring means urging said plate toward said rearward flange, stop means carried by said lapped end portions intermediate said flanges, positioned for engagement by said plate during spring urged plate movement toward said rearward flange to limit said movement, and stop means carried by said lapped end portions adjacent said rearward flange, positioned to engage said rearward flange during rod movement away from said operating means to limit saidrod movement, whereby to yieldingly couple said lapped end portions.

JAMES E. DILLARD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 353,148 Lehr Nov. 23, 1886 389,320 Pierce Sept. 11, 1888 919,056 Mitchell Apr. 20, 1909 1,044,339 Border Nov. 12, 1912 1,552,886 Shultz Sept. 8, 1925 

